UPDATE: Polecat Tavern grand opening in Carson City to be rescheduled due to road construction on Winnie Lane
Submitted by Jeff Munson on Sat, 07/13/2024 - 6:00am
UPDATE: It is with great regret that we have decided to cancel our Polecat Tavern grand opening party. Due to the construction on W Winnie Lane in Carson City, there's inadequate access to W Winnie lane and the West Winnie Shopping Center. The only way to access the shopping center is to drive over the rolled sidewalk on the East end of the shopping center which you can't get to except for going through the neighborhood.
We intend to operate our normal hours of 3 to closing so if anyone wants to traverse the detour route to come find us, we will be open and very happy to see you.
It is our intention to reschedule later in the summer. We will announce the new plan soon. Thanks for understanding, Keith and Chrissi Barnett & the Polecat staff.
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Carson City’s newest live music venue, Polecat Tavern, is excited to announce the celebration of their grand opening Saturday, July 13, 2024.
The event will take place at 260 W Winnie Lane, Carson City between 6 and 11 p.m. Guests will be treated to live music in the parking lot with MiXed Company between 6 and 9pm and inside from 9pm to 11pm with Canyon White. Delicious Candy Burger will be the Food Truck on site for your enjoyment and we will have tables and chairs available outside.
“We have been open since December 14th. 2023. but wanted to wait for summer to have our Grand Opening Party so we could have it outside.” Says Keith Barnett, Polecat Tavern owner along with his wife and partner, Chrissi. “We wanted to have a nice big party with everyone to celebrate our new music venue.”
Polecat Tavern is already becoming known in Carson City and surrounding areas as “a place for live music,” having had live music up to 4 nights each week since December.
“We have Open Mic Night on Thursday for Music, Poetry, Comedy, or etc., fun Karaoke on the second and fourth Fridays of the month, with the awesome Keith Alan Barnett and others performing on alternate Fridays, wonderful guest performers on Saturdays (such as High Desert Habit, The Starliters, & Carson Chandler recently, with regional acts like the fabulous Tale of Giants Tour originally from San Antonio, & Psych Folk Singer/Songwriter J.Ezra out of San Diego coming up), and a relaxing acoustic jam on Sunday Evenings with Songwriter Workshops, Ukulele Jams, and more planned for the future," according to the news release.
With a seating capacity of only about 60 persons after staff and performers, the venue is quite intimate.
“We even were nominated in the Nevada Appeal’s “Best of Carson City” in the “Best Place for Live Music” category after only being open for 5 months. That was such a thrill!” said Chrissi about the nomination.
Polecat Tavern has a Full Cocktail Bar, plus a menu of yummy Mocktails, and non-alcoholic Cocktails made with Ritual Spirits. How about a Rum & Coke or a Gin & Tonic that tastes like the real thing but is alcohol free? There is Bar-Top Video Gaming available as well. We also have a large game table with an assortment of board games available. We do not serve food except for pre-packaged chips and snacks but you are welcome to order in and make a night of it.
Polecat Tavern was opened by Keith and Chrissi Barnett as a way to help provide more live music in the Carson City area. Their dream is to give a supportive space for musicians and other artists. The Stage and Mic are always available when there are no scheduled events. We have a full PA with up to 4 microphones, an electronic drum kit, and a keyboard set up. It’s a great place for musicians to try out new material or just get comfortable on stage. All of our performers have told us that they just love the way the room sounds. We have a Showcase Wall for visual art such as paintings and such. Currently T. Anderson Arts is being featured, so come take a look.
Polecat Tavern is also available on Mondays and Tuesdays for meetings or events. Keep in mind that we are a 21 & over only venue, although the patio is all ages. Contact us for more information about facility rentals. We can provide a bartender or caterer for your event as well.
Keith and Chrissi moved to Carson City a little over 18 years ago. The plan was to move to Reno/Sparks but after spending a few days in Carson City while their RV was being repaired, they both fell in love with the town and stayed. Keith is a musician who has performed as Keith Alan Barnett in the US and Australia as a solo artist.
He has a single “No Place to Fall” published, as well as an album “Three Days out of Gerlach” with the Lonesome Polecat Band, both available on most streaming services. He also performs with MiXed Company who will be playing outside on July 13 at the grand opening.
You can catch him performing around Carson City, such as the Farmers Market, Levitt Amp concerts at the Brewery Arts Center, and many other venues. Keith also works in the Audio-Visual Tech industry. Chrissi is a bookkeeper by trade and works on the side in graphic arts and jewelry making. “I’m called right brain/left brain,” she laughs.
Chrissi has been active in several non-profits since moving to Nevada and is currently Director of Finance for Sierra Association of Foster Families. “My goal is to retire in a few years and concentrate on making art.”
You can find Polecat Tavern on Facebook, Instagram, Next Door, and the website Polecattavern.com.
Go here for info about Keith Alan Barnett and here for Chrissi’s Graphic Arts website.
